Cincinnati Bengals
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The Bengals signed a former Steelers safety
The Cincinnati Bengals have kept up their efforts to improve their defense heading into the 2026 season. After a quiet few weeks, the Bengals have now made additional moves in an effort to improve a unit that allowed the third-most points in the NFL last season.
After signing former Chargers free agent CB Ja’Sir Taylor to a one-year contract, the Bengals did not stop addressing their secondary.NFL insider Jordan Schulz reported that the Bengals are signing former Steelers and Patriots safety Kyle Dugger to a one-year deal.
Cincinnati Bengals Sign Kyle Dugger
Prior to joining the Steelers, Dugger started 69 games for the New England Patriots after being selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Before the 2024 season, Dugger signed a four-year, $58 million extension with the Patriots; however, his role diminished once new head coach Mike Vrabel arrived in New England. As a result, Dugger was traded during the 2025 season to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he started the final nine games of the season.
During his stretch with the Steelers, Dugger played once against the Bengals in Week 11. In that game, Dugger returned a 73-yard interception for a touchdown.
Dugger’s extension was renegotiated after the trade, and the sides reached an agreement which allowed him to become a free agent. Now, he will be joining a Bengals secondary that has already added a safety inBryan Cook, who signed a three-year, $40.2 million contractafter previously playing for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The new Bengals’ safety totaled two interceptions and 59 combined tackles last season. Despite this,Pro Football Focus ranked him No. 82 out of 98 qualified safeties last season. He has graded as a below average safety in each of the past three seasons. The Bengals will hope he can return to his 2022 form, when Dugger was ranked as a top-10 safety in the NFL.
Bengals Draft Outlook
The details on Dugger’s contract remain to be seen, but it is likely he will look to come in as a starter, as that is the role he has played for most of his career. Whether his signing impacts the Bengals’ draft plans is debatable. Cincinnati has beenlinked to talented safety prospectCaleb Downs throughout the draft process, but after adding two starting safeties in free agency, that may rule out that possibility.
However, the team may still look to target secondary help asNFL.com’s Nick Shook, in his latest mock draft has the Bengals selecting Jermod McCoy with the No. 10 pick.Shook wrote:
“The Bengals need a linebacker, but the two prospects at that position worthy of being drafted this high are gone. So Cincy turns to a high-upside defender at a different spot. McCoy didn’t play college ball at all in 2025 while recovering from an ACL injury but produced remarkably strong 2024 tape, and it carries him to the Bengals here.”
Regarding how the previous signing of Ja’Sir Taylor impacts the possibility of Cincinnati adding a cornerback in the draft,Sports Illustrated’s Jay Morrison said, “Taylor will provide some competition there, but his addition shouldn’t change the urgency to add another corner in the draft.”